Thill-coupling



(No Model.)

I. HAND.

THILL COUPLING.

Patented Sept. 25, 1883.

' P INVENTOR: M g

ATTORNEYS.

WiTNESSES W IO with jaws, and a'wedging-shoulder formed beiii FFICE.

FURMAN HAND, OF

PONTIAC, ILLInoIs.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 285,409, datedSeptember 25, 1883.

Application filed October 18, me. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FURMAN HAND, of Poll-- tiac, in the county ofLivingston and State of Illinois, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Thill-Oouplings, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description, reference being had to the annexed drawings,forming part of this specification.

This invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement ofthe clip provided tween the jaws, a plug placed between the thillheadand the wedging-shoulder and held in position thereby, and an automaticbutton arranged to bear on the .rear end of the plug, all of which willbe hereinafter fully described, and more particularly described in theclaim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View, and Fig. 2 isalongitudinal section, of a coupling constructed and arranged accordingto my invention.

A is the axle of the vehicle to which my coupling -is applied, and A isthe clip put over the axle. The front side of the clip is graduallyincreased in thickness from a point near its top downward, so as toprovide a wedgingshoulder, A as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

B B are two paralleljaws projected forward -from the clip, and haveaffixed between their forward or outer ends the stationary bolt B, onwhich the head 0 of the shaft or pole is adapted to be placed. Thejaws BB are widest in their vertical depth, and. are adapted to receivebetween them the plug D hereinafter more fully described. The spacebetween the jaws is open at its upper side, so that the plug may readilybe slipped therein, and is also open at the lower side, so that asuitable i11- strument may be thrust upward against 'the under side ofthe plug, and the latter thereby pushed upward when it is desired toremove it.

D is the retaining and anti-rattling plug. Its forward end is madeconcave to fit the curvature of the hook C, while its rear end isbeveled, and adapted to fit snugly against the inclined face of thewedging-shoulder A. The plug is made of a vertical depth equal to thewidth of the jaws B,- so that when inserted between the latter it willnot project above nor below them. On the upper side, and near theity-button E, pivoted to the clip above the line of the upper edges ofthe jaws B. The button E is arrrnged so that its lower edge drops to apoint below the upper edges of the jaws. It is made approximately in asemicircle, and it is so arranged that it may be turned outward clear ofthe jaws B. Its upper edge being straight, it may be turned up, asindicated in dotted lines, Fig. 2, and beentirely out of the way whenremoving or inserting the plug 1). After the plug has been placedbetween the jaws the gravity-button will drop into the recess and lockthe plug in place. The plug is made to fit so snugly that it requirespressure to push it entirely down to itsproper place. The curved form ofthe button causes it to act as a cam to press the plug into place. Toremove the plug the button is turned up, and the plug may then bepressed upward by any suitable instrument, and be taken from itsposition between the j aws.

In pnttin g the plug in position the concavity of its front end is firstplaced against the head O of the poles. The rear end is then droppedagainst the wedging-shoulder and the button turned down. The entireoperation is quickly and efficiently done. The jaws B prevent the plugfrom slipping sidewise, the concave form of the front end of the plugresting against the hook, andthe action of the wedging-shoulder and ofthe gravity-button prevents the rear end from being moved up or down. Avery sub stantial and convenient fastening is thus provided. There isalso a constant bracing or tightening action by the plug by means of thewedging'shoulder, whereby all wear is taken up and rattling prevented.

Another feature o'fmyinvei'ition is its ad apta bility to lock the thillor pole when the latter is formed with a hook-shaped head, as shown. Inthis case the plug has a vertical depth equal to the width of the jaws.The diameter of the pole-head is also of thesanie length as the width ofsaid jaws. The plug is then made of a length equal to the distancebetween the bolt B and the clip A. The formation of the concavity in thefront end of the plug makes the latter fit approximately around onehalfof the circumference of the pole-head.

ing, 0, which is extended downward and for- I ward, and gives the'hookshape, as shown.

The p ole-head is provided with a radial op en- The point of the hookthus formed, when placed on the bolt- B, extends in front of a verticalline drawn downward from the center of said bolt. The end of the plugextends nearly half around the periphery of head 0, and it will bereadily seen that the pole could not be displaced from the bolt.

I have furnished a coupling strong and durable, free from rattling, andeasily and quickly connected or disconnected.

In this device the slot 0 is formed on a line at an acute anglepreferably at about an angle of forty-five degrees) to a line drawn fromthe center of thill head or hook to thepoint of the thill resting on theground. The point of the hook will then extend forward under the bolt B,and will so hold the thill that thelat- 'ter can" be removed fromsaidbolt only by a' movement backward and upward.

The plug D has, as hereinbefore' described, a vertical thickness at 1itsforward end about equal tot'hedianieter'of the thill-hook. It alsohas a length equal to or slightly longer than the distance between thebolt'B and the clip A. 'Being'made concave inits forward end, itfits'closely around the rear side of the thill-hook, and the i upper andlower a points It will be seen that when the plug is in place The shaftor pole coupling hereinbefore described, consisting of the clip A, thejaws l3 B, projected forward from the clip, and having their adjacentsides arranged in vertical parallel planes, the draft-bolt B held in theforward ends of the jaws, the p ole hook or head, the wedging-shoulder Aformed on the clip and extended downward between the rear ends of thejaws, the plug D, having its forward end made concave, andadapte'd tofit upon and extend approxi-inately half around the rear side of thepole-head or'hook, and having its rear end resting against thewedging-shoulder, the

said plug being. placed between the; jaws and held from lateraldisplacement thereby, and

the gravity-button E, pivoted to the clip and "above the rear-end oftheplug, as set forth.

FURMAN TIAND.

WVi tn esses WVM. B. FYFE, J. 1IEOIL

